Ex-South Sudan police officer proposes joint rebel-government patrol on Juba-Nimule highway

JUBA – A former South Sudan police officer who joined General Simon Gatwech Dual last week has suggested that South Sudan army should join hands with armed opposition groups to form a joint patrol for the Juba-Nimule highway.

This comes days after highway truckers coming from Kenya and Ugandan were ambushed along the Juba-Nimule highway in an accident in which several people including two catholic nuns were killed sparking condemnation among the people of South Sudan.

“Truck divers travelling on Juba-Nimule highway have always faced attacks from unidentified forces with both the government and the holdout opposition forces trading blames against each other. Innocent truck drivers from across East Africa have always been victims of South Sudanese internal conflicts with un identified gun men killing south Sudanese citizens and nationals from its neighboring countries,” Colonel Dominic Gabriel said in an email to Sudans Post.

“It is time for both the government of South Sudan under president Kiir and all (in and holdout) opposition forces to take responsibility to provide security to travelers on Juba-Nimule highway in order to promote trade with South Sudan’s neighboring countries which include Uganda and Kenya, among others,” he added.

He said the “South Sudanese government under president Kiir have failed to protect the citizens, as such, they have also failed to provide security to foreign nationals whose security while in South Sudan is their responsibility. Both the government and hold out opposition forces who have presence along the Juba-Nimule Highway have not shown good will sprit to protect South Sudanese and foreigners while in South Sudan and this can be witnessed by the recurring attacks on both local and foreign truck drivers on the highway.”

“The attacks on innocent civilians jeopardizes trade among the sister countries and it might worsen the economic stability of South Sudan further. Such inhuman attacks affect foreign relationship between South Sudan and its sister countries where South Sudanese have been hosted in good will.

“As the men in uniform in South Sudan (both government and opposition forces) have failed to provide sustainable solution to the recurring insecurity along Juba-Nimule highway, I call upon IGAD to intervene and ensure neutral force provides escort to travelers on the South Sudanese Nimule highway.”